On Jul. 17, 2023, Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and Member of Parliament (MP) Cheng Li Hui submitted their resignations from the People's Action Party (PAP) and Parliament to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

PM Lee cited that he accepted both Tan and Cheng's resignation as their resignations were "necessary to maintain the high standards of propriety and personal conduct which the PAP has upheld all these years".

Speaking at a press conference on Jul. 17, 2023, PM Lee disclosed that he learnt that both Tan and Cheng were in an inappropriate relationship after the last general election (GE) back in 2020.

PM Lee stated that this matter was more serious than Tan's recent hot-mic incident, as Tan was the Speaker of Parliament, and "there should not have been a relationship" between a Speaker and an MP.

Timeline of Tan and Cheng's resignations

PM Lee found out after GE 2020

PM Lee shared that he only learnt about Tan and Cheng's relationship after the 2020 GE.

He did not mention when the relationship first began.

" I was alerted of this after the last [GE] in 2020, I do not know when it began, but they were spoken to, counseled. Unfortunately, the matter didn't close and so it came to the hard conversation we had in February this year," he said.

Tan submitted his resignation in Feb. 2023

In Feb. 2023, PM Lee spoke to Tan about his relationship, and Tan admitted "what he did was wrong and he offered his resignation".

PM Lee said that he accepted Tan's resignation but told him Tan needed to make sure the residents of the Kembangan-Chai Chee ward in Marine Parade GRC were taken care of.

In addition, PM Lee told Tan that his relationship with Cheng had to stop.

Found out Tan was still having a relationship with Cheng

However, after Feb. 2023, Tan did not end his relationship with Cheng, against PM Lee's instructions.

"But very recently, I came across information that strongly suggested that the relationship had continued," PM Lee said.

"And I decided then that Mr Tan had to go forthwith whether or not the arrangements were ready."

Tan's hot-mic incident in Parliament

PM Lee noted that at the same time, a video circulating online in Jul. 2023 caught Tan muttering "f*cking populist" during a Parliament sitting on Apr. 17, 2023.

The comment was directed at Worker's Party MP Jamus Lim after Lim delivered a speech on poverty when Tan called Sembawang GRC MP Vikram Nair to speak.

Tan had apologised publicly and privately to Lim for using unparliamentary language during a parliament sitting.

Tan went away, came back and then resigned on Jul. 17

PM Lee shared that he asked to see Tan after he went away, and after their discussion, Tan agreed to "leave immediately".

"[Both] for his non-parliamentary conduct as well as his inappropriate relationship with Ms Cheng, which he had told me that he would break off  but he did not," PM Lee explained.

Cheng resigned on Jul. 17

Cheng also resigned as an MP of Tampines GRC and a PAP member.

PM Lee said that Cheng had been counselled, including by himself, in Feb. 2023, but "nevertheless she had continued the relationship with Mr Tan".

"Fallen short of high standards of propriety and personal conduct"

PM Lee shared that it "saddens" him to discover Tan and Cheng had "fallen short of the high standard of propriety and personal conduct that we expect from all PAP MPs."

He stated that when such a situation arises, it was his duty as Secretary General of PAP to deal with them and "put things right". That meant to counsel, correct, admonish and, if necessary, remove the MPs from the party.

"It is painful to do this to our friends and comrades-in-arms, and it can also be politically embarrassing and costly. But the PAP has to maintain party discipline and standard of conduct. Our duty is to Parliament and the people of Singapore, and that is paramount."

Deputy Speaker Jessica Tan will be Acting Speaker, and PM Lee will nominate a new Speaker by the next Parliament sitting on Aug. 1, 2023.

"High standards of propriety and personal conduct, together with staying clean and incorrupt, are the fundamental reasons Singaporeans trust and respect the PAP, and give us their mandate to form the government and work together with us to improve the lives of Singaporeans."

Top photos via MCI & PAP Website